White Fence

White Fence is a Mexican-American gang that was founded in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles in 1900. The gang emerged in the 1910s as the all-male sports team associated with the La Purissima Church; its original name was "La Purissima Crowd", but it later renamed itself after the white fence surrounding the church, a symbolic barrier between the white residents in the area and the oppressed Hispanic community. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was considered one of the most violent and powerful gangs in East Los Angeles; it was not only the oldest gang in Los Angeles, but also the first to use firearms, chains, and other dangerous weapons. The gang, with a strength of over 3,000, also operated in the Westside, Las Vegas, Mexico, Arkansas, Oregon, and Guatemala.